Automatic Identification Of Instruments Used With A Surgical Navigation System

Abstract

A system and apparatus taught to determine the identification and selected information relating to surgical instruments near a reader. The information can be stored on a member operable to transmit the information to a reader at a selected time. The information can be used in a navigation system to assist in navigation of the instrument relative to a patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to determine information related to a selected device used with a surgical navigation system for navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy, the system comprising:
 a surgical instrument operable to perform a surgical procedure on the anatomy;   an identification member associated with the surgical instrument and including selected information related to the surgical instrument;   a tracking device associated with the surgical instrument;   a tracking system operable to track a location of the tracking device;   a navigation processor operable to determine the position of the surgical instrument based upon the tracked position of the tracking device and determine an identity of the surgical instrument based upon the selected information; and   a display operable to display an icon representing the specific surgical instrument based upon the selected information.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a receiver, 
 wherein the identification member includes a radio frequency tag; 
 wherein the radio frequency tag is operable to transmit a signal to the receiver including the selected information stored on the radio frequency tag. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument includes a plurality of surgical instruments:
 wherein the identification member includes a plurality of identification members;   wherein each of the plurality of surgical instruments includes at least one of the plurality of identification members;   wherein each of the plurality of identification members includes specific selected information relating to each of the plurality of the surgical instruments.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an identification member reader;   wherein the identification member reader is operable to obtain information from each of the plurality of identification members relating to each of the plurality of surgical instruments.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a communication system; 
 wherein the communication system interconnects the identification member reader and the navigation processor; 
 wherein the navigation processor is operable to cause the display to display a representation of the selected information read from the identification member associated with one of the plurality of surgical instruments. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the tracking system includes an electromagnetic coil localizer;
 wherein the electromagnetic coil localizer is operable to obtain data from the identification member.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a communication system operable to interconnect the tracking system and the navigation processor;   wherein the navigation processor is operable to determine the identification of the surgical instrument based upon the data transferred to the navigation processor from the identification member.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instrument displayed on the display is based upon the information transferred to the navigation processor from the identification member; and
 an alert system operable to indicate to a user the appropriateness of the surgical instrument displayed on the display.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the navigation processor is operable to compare the displayed instrument to a plan. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the tracking system includes a localizer;
 wherein the localizer and the information member reader are one item.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an alert system operable to provide an alert to a user regarding the appropriateness of the specific instrument displayed on the display.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected information includes at least one of calibration information, orientation information, size information, sterilization condition information, use information, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument includes a plurality of surgical instruments;
 wherein one of a plurality of icons can be displayed on the display to represent one of the plurality of instruments;   wherein the navigation processor is operable to select one of the plurality of icons based on the selected information.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a writing system; and   wherein the writing system is operable to write the selected information to the identification member.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the writing system is operable to write the selected information to the identification member during a plurality of writing instances. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the writing system is operable to write the selected information to the identification member to include a change in calibration information after a use of the surgical instruments. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument includes at least one of an awl, a drill bit, a screw, a prosthesis, a tap, a probe, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A system to determine information related to a selected device used with a surgical navigation system for navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy, the system comprising:
 an identification member associated with the selected device and including selected information related to the selected device;   a tracking device associated with the selected device;   a tracking system operable to track a location of the tracking device;   a navigation processor operable to determine a position of the selected device based upon the tracked position of the tracking device and determine an identity of the selected device based upon the selected information;   a display operable to display an icon representing the selected device based upon the selected information; and   a writing system operable to write a selected information to the selected device, when the writing system is operable to write the selected information to the identification member to include a change in calibration information after a use of the selected device.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising a surgical instrument operable to perform a certain procedure on the anatomy, wherein the selected device is the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         20 . A system to determine information related to a selected device used with a surgical navigation system for navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy, the system comprising:
 a surgical instrument operable to perform a certain procedure on the anatomy;   an identification member connected to the surgical instrument and including selected information related to the surgical instrument including calibration information;   a tracking device associated with a surgical instrument;   a tracking system operable to track a location on the tracking device;   a navigation processor operable to determine a position of the surgical instrument based upon the tracked position of the tracking device and determine an identity of the surgical instrument based upon the selected information;   a display operable to display an icon representing the specific surgical instrument based upon the selected information; and   a writing system operable to write the selected information to the identification member, wherein the writing system is configured to write the selected information to a memory of the identification member during or after a use of the surgical instrument including a change from a previous calibration information including size of the surgical instrument, tip location of the surgical instrument, or orientation of the surgical instrument.